Typewriter multiple case shift mechanism



May 31, 1949. R. w. sEARs,I[

TYPEWRITER MULTIPLE CASE SHIFT MECHANISM Filed March 15. 3194s 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 31, 1949. R. w. sEARs,1

TYPEWRITER MULTIPLE CASE SHIFT MECHANISM 4. Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1946 172023172 fizc/zara W Sad/15K /W fw g May 31, 1949.

R. w. SEARSJI TYPEWRITER MULTI PLE CASE SHIFT MECHANISM 4 Shets-Sheet 3 Filed March 15, 1946 Nb Qb May 31, 1949.

R. W SEARS, 1]:

TYPEWRITER MULTIPLE CASE SHIFT MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 15, 1946 Patented May 31, 1949 TYPEWRITER MULTIPLE CASE SHIFT MECHANISM Richard W. Sears, 11, Evanston, 111., assignor to Woodstock Typewriter Company, Woodstock, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 15, 1946, Serial No. 654,600

Claims.

This invention relates, in general, to typewriter machines, but more specifically to the provision of new and improved means whereby the use to which the machine may be put will be extended, by the provision of mechanism whereby the type bar segment may be shifted with respect to the platen, or the platen shifted with respect to the type bar segment.

Another important object is to provide improved means whereby the capacity or use to which the machine may be put may be extended.

A further object is to provide in a machine of this character, improved means for selectively shifting the type bar segment and the platen, one with relation to the other, according to the use to which the machine is to be put.

A further object is to provide improved means for maintaining the parts in their relatively positioned relation.

A still further object is to provide in a machine of this character, improved, simple, compact and eflicient means for producing such results.

To the attainment of these ends, and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings exemplifying this invention, in which drawings Fig. 1 is a detail fragmentary view showing the shift mechanisms or parts in elevation, and the manner in which they are arranged with respect to the type bar segment, type bar, and platen, and with the platen and type bar segment in lowered positions.

Fig. 2 is a detail fragmentary end elevation, parts being in section, of the key mechanism for raising the platen, and the means for holding it in raised position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view, parts being in section, of the type bar segment in raised position with respect to the platen, and the platen in lowered position.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the platen lowered and the type bar segment in a raised position.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fi 3, showing both the platen and the type bar segment in raised position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the platen raised and the type bar segment lowered.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 1, and with the locking mechanism in an unlocked or releasing position.

In the co-pending application of James F. Koca, Serial No. 574,568, filed January 25, 1945, there is disclosed a typewriter machine of a similar construction, in which there is provided a type bar segment that is shiftable with respect to the platen, which latter is non-shiftable vertically, whereby the type bar segment may be adjusted and maintained in adjusted position, thereby adapting the machine for writing with the lower case or smaller type, or the upper case or larger type or capitals.

The present invention not only includes these features, but is also adapted to write with or employ two additional series of types, so that four sets or series of types are used. One of the types or characters of each of the four series is arranged on each of the type bars, and means are provided for selectively positioning the type bar Segment and the platen, one with respect to the other, whereby the type of the desired series may be employed.

Means are provided for locking the parts in operative position, and. means are also provided whereby the locking means may be readily rendered inactive, so that the parts may be shifted to the desired relative positions to reproduce the type or characters of the selected series.

Such an arrangement is desirable, as it sometimes happens that it is desired to use the machine for writing in different languages, which can be readily accomplished with the present invention, thereby imparting to the machine a larger scope of use, and, at the same time, providing a machine which is of a comparatively simple construction, and elficient and. effective in operation, the transfer or conversion of its use from one language to the other being readily and quickly accomplished by the use of very little but effective mechanism.

In the present exemplication of this invention, the machine consists essentially of a frame-work 15, a shiftable type bar segment l6, having type carrying bars I! pivotally mounted thereupon, as at I8, and which type carrying bar segment is shiftable from normal position for printing the lower case letters IE) on the type bar, to a lower position for printing the capital or upper case letters 20 on the bar.

As shown, the mechanism for shifting the type bar segment l6 embodies a shift key 2|, embodying a lever 22, which is pivotally mounted, as at 23, upon a suitable part of the supporting frame of the machine. A link 24- is pivotally connected, as at 25, to an arm or extension 26 of the lever 22 (Fig. 1). The other end of the link 24 is pivot ally connected, as at 25 to a bell crank lever 21, which latter is pivotally mounted, as at 28, on a part of the sub-frame of the machine. The forward end 29 of the bell crank lever 21 is pivotally connected, as at 30, to an arm or extension 3| of the type bar segment I6, so that by operating the shift key 2|, the type bar segment [6 will be raised or lowered, the segment being provided with suitable means (not shown) to guide it in its movements.

The type bar segment [6 is normally held in its upper position in any suitable manner, such as by means of a spring 32, one end of which is connected, as at 33, to the segment l-6, and the other end is connected, as at 34, to the portion 29 of the bell crank lever 21. When the shift key 2| is depressed, the type bar segment IE will be lowered against the stress of the spring 32, by the rotative movement of the bell crank lever "21-29. Upon releasing the shift key 2 l, the spring 32 will act to return these parts to normal positions, and the-segment IE will move into its upward or raised position, as shown in Fig. l. To maintain the parts in their norma1 operative position (as shown in Fig. 1), any suitable locking means may be provided, such as the locking means 'disclosed in the aforesaid application, which embodies a pair of links 33 pivot-ally connected, as at 34, to the bell crank lever 21, and to a bell crank lever 35, the latter being pivotal- 1y mounted, as at 38, on a part of the machine frame. The lever 35 is provided with a stop 31, which c'o-operat'es with a sto 40 on the arm or the bell crank lever'2l.

-A projection 38 on'the link '24 is adapted to engage an arm of the lever 35't0 render the locking means inactive, upon movement of the link 24' by the shift 'key 2l, against the stress of the springs i l- 42, all as disclosed in detail in the aforesaid oo-pendi-ng application. Key levers 43, having operating keys 44, are removably and pivotally mounted-as at 45 (Fig. l)

Y A bell crank lever 46 pivotally mounted, as at 41, is also p'ivotally connected with the lever -43, preferably by means ''of a pin and slot "connection 48- 19. -A 1ink' 50 1's pivotally connected at one end,-as at-5 l, to the lever 46, and at its other end, as at 52, to an arm-or portion 53, pivoted to the type bar segment 43. Another link 54 is pivot-ally connected-as at 55, to the arm 53, and, as at 56, to the type bar "I-i, so that when the key '44 is depressed, the type carrying portion of the :lower case of letters on the ty e bar will strike the platen. When the shift key 2| is depressed, the letters in the upper case, or capitals,

-.will strike the "platen by thesame operation of the type keyFM.

Each of the type carrying bars I1 is provided with four letters or characters two of such characters 51-58 being in addition to the series 19-20. I'he -four charac'tersare arranged in vertical alinement, and all of the characters on each bar are adapted to :strike the platen by the operation of the same key 4'4. However, to accomplish this :end, the type bar-segment I 6, and the platen 59, are adapted to be shifted and positioned, one with relation to the-other, to render the respective series of characters active.

, Each series of type embodies a horizontal line of characterstwo'of such series constituting an upper and lower case, either one of which is adapted to be positioned to strike the platen when positioned by the shift key 2|; that is, whenever the type barssegment -16 or the platen 5.91s relatively shifted. Furthermore, either set 175 or group of two lines or series of type is adapted to be rendered active or inactive, at will. That is, the machine may be set to selectively position either series in active or inactive position with respect to the platen, or vice versa. To that end, the machine carriage (Fig. 1) is mounted in any well-known manner, to slide upon the frame l5, preferably through the medium of ball bearings 6i, and the movement of the carriage is effected by the well-known spacer machanism (not shown).

A platen supporting frame 62 is pivotally mounted upon brackets 63 on the carriage, by means of spaced arms 6465, which are in turn pivot-ed to the carriage, as at 56-58, one pair of these arms being arranged at each end of the platen .59. The arms 64 are pivotally connected to the brackets, as at 66, and to the frame 62, as at 61. The arms 65, are pivotally connected, as at 68, by one end to the bracket 63, and at their other end, as at 69, to the frame 52. The arms are so arranged with respect to each other as to provide the proper raising and lowering movement of the platen. A spring H3 is provided to assist in raising the platen.

The raising movement of the platen 59 may be effected in any suitable manner, but preferably by means of a key ll (Fig. 2), which is arranged in any convenient position in the key board, and the arm '12 of which is pivotally supported, as at 13, upon the machine frame. This arm 72 is provided with an extension M, the end 15 of which engages a rocker or hell crank member 16, that is pivotal-1y mounted, as at .71, upon a suitable portion of the machine frame. The end 15 of the extension 14 contacts the member 76 at 18, on one side of the pivot 71, and the arm or end 19 of the member 16 supports a track 80, preferably a rod or bar that extends across the machine frame parallel with, and spaced below the carriage 60 and platen 59.

The platen carrying frame =62 is supported by links ddat both ends thereof. Secured to the frame in any suitable manner, as at 8|, preferably by a pivotal connection, is a depending member 82, which terminates adjacent the track .86, and mounted upon the member 82, so as to run upon the track 30, is a roller 83, so as not to interfere with the spacing movement of the carriage and platen in either'of their positions; that is, whether the platen is disposed in an elevated or a lowered-operative position.

When the key H is depressed, the bell crank member 1 6 will be rocked, the track 80 will be elevated, and the frame 6-2 will also be elevated as the arms or links 6 l55 will be swung about their pivots GB-58, and these links are so arranged as to maintain a parallel movement of the platen. Any suitable means may be employed to maintain the platen in eitherits raised or lowered position' -A suitable and efficient means embodies a lever '84, pivotally mounted, as tit-t5, upon one 'of the brackets 63 of the carriage 60, and which is provided with open recessesornotches 83 which are adapted to receive a pin or projection 81 on the platen supporting frame 62.

Thus, when the lever 84 is swung in a-direction to release the platen frame, the latter may be raised by depressing the key H; or, if the platen is raised, it -may be low-ered by releasin the platen frame. The lever 34 is then swung in the opposite-direction, so that one of the recesses or notches 86 will receive the pin or projection 81, and these parts Will -be locked -in--position;

In Figs- 5 and 6- of the drawings, the platen 59 is shown in both of its operative positions. That is, in Fig. 5 it is in a lowered position so that writing may be eflected from the type comprising the series Iii-2|], while in Fig. 6 the platen is shown in a raised position to eifect writing from the upper series of type 5'|58. In either position, however, the shifting of the type bar segment l6 to enable the writer to employ the upper or lower case characters of either series, is accomplished by the same shifting mechanism; that is, by the operation of the shift key (Fig. 1-), as the changing of the plane of operation of the platen does not in any way aifect the operation of the shift mechanism.

With this improvement it will be manifest that two difierent groups of type or characters, each group embodying a plurality of series of type or characters, may be employed in the same machine, and that the operator, by simply operating a platen shifting key, can shift the platen in a direction transverse to its axis, to position the platen to be selectively rendered active or inactive with either of the groups of type or characters. The operation of all of the other parts of the machine will not be interfered with, and no other part of the machine will have to be adjusted or changed, to be able to write with either group of letters or characters. Furthermore, such change or shift may be readily made by any one, by shifting or operating the proper keys, without necessitating the services of an expert.

It is thought that the operation of this improved mechanism will be clearly understood from the foregoing description, but, briefly stated, it is as follows:

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the platen 5 9 will be in its lowered position, so as to write with the series of letters or characters comprising the group Iii-20, and the type bar segment It may be shifted by the key 2|, to employ the upper case or series of letters 20, but before being shifted, the lower case, or series l9, will be in writing position with respect to the platen.

When, however, it is desired to write with the group of letters or characters 51-58, the platen 59 is shifted by operating the key 1 l so as to swing the platen about the pivots 66-68, from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the lever 84 being, of course, shifted to unlock or release the platen carrying frame 62 for such swinging operation. In either position of the platen, that is, in either the position shown in Fig. 1 or that shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the relative shifting of the type bar segment l6, or the operation of the keys of the key-board will not be interfered with.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a typewriter embodying type bars, each having two series of a plurality of characters, each series being individual to and active in one of the zones of operation into which the platen is moved, a platen carriage, a platen mounted upon the carriage for bodily swinging movement into two different zones of operation, a shift key for the platen carriage, a track located below and rearwardly of said platen, means mounting the track for bodily shifting movement, means connected with theplaten and movable along said track, means operated in response to the actuation of said key for shifting said track to shift the platen, whereby the zone of operation of said platen may be changed, and means located rearwardly of the platen for releasably locking said platen in each of its zones of operation.

2. In a typewriter embodying type bars, each having two series of a plurality of characters, each series being individual to and active in one of the zones of operation into which the platen is moved, a platen carriage, a platen mounted upon the carriage for bodily swinging movement into two different zones of operation, a shift key for the platen carriage, a track located below and rearwardly of said platen, means mounting the track for bodily shifting movement, means connected with the platen and movable along said track, means operated in response to the actuation of said key for shifting said track to shift the platen, whereby the zone of operation of said platen may be changed, a pivotally mounted lever located on said carriage rearwardly of said platen, and interengaging means between said lever and the platen carriage for locking the platen in its adjusted position with respect to the said carriage.

3. In a typewriter, a platen carriage, a platen support pivotally mounted upon the carriage, a platen carried by said support and movable with respect to the carriage into two different active zones, a track disposed below and fixed with respect to the typewriter frame, a depending member connected with said support and movable along said track as the said carriage is moved, a support for said track, key-actuated means for shifting said track, whereby the said platen support will be shifted to move the said support with respect to the carriage to position the platen in different zones for movement with the carriage, a lever connected with said carriage and located rearwardly of the platen and extending thereabove, and interengaging means between the lever and said support for locking the platen and the support in the position to which they have been adjusted with respect to the carriage.

4. A typewriter embodying a carriage, a platen support, links connecting the support to the carriage for bodily shifting movement with respect thereto, in directions transverse to the line of travel Of the carriage, a platen carried by said support, an actuating key, means disposed between the key and said platen support for bodily shifting the support to move the platen into a different zone of operation, and means located rearwardly of the platen for locking the support and platen in their adjusted position with respect to the carriage, the platen being adapted to return to normal position with respect to the carriage when said locking means is rendered inactive.

5. A typewriter embodying a carriage, a platen support mounted thereupon for movement therewith and for bodily movement with respect thereto, a platen mounted upon the support, a member pivotally connected to the support and depending below the carriage, a track below the carriage, with which said member engages to move therealong, a bell crank lever, one arm of which supports said track, key means embodying an arm adapted to engage and swing said lever about its pivot to shift the track, and thereby move the platen support with respect to the carriage to position the platen in another operating zone, and locking means between the platen support and a said carriage including a pivotally mounted arm ENT located rearward-1y of the platen for releasably UNITED STATES PAT S maintaining the platen in any position to which Number Name Date it has been adjusted withrespect totthe carriage. 5591345 Wagner 23, 1396 587,020. Stackhouse July 27-, 1897- RIOI-IARD W SEARS, 11 633,672 Wagner Sept. 26, 1899 671,082 Greve Apr. 2, 1901- REFERENCES CITED 1,537,149 Smith May 12, 1925 1,651,739; Stickney Dec. 6, 1927' .3 i gggi fs are m the 1,651,740 Stickney Dec. 6,1927

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 487,874 Germany 1929 

